Is wheatgrass juice or sweetpea green juice safe for those taking Coumadin (warfarin)?
I have recently begun taking wheatgrass (1-2 oz daily) and sweetpea green (1-2oz daily) juice(s) along with carrot/celery juice (1-2 carrots + 1-2 stalks of celery). My wife takes 2-3mg of Coumadin daily. Can she join me in benefits of these juices, perhaps in small degrees?
Dr. Gourmet Says...
Wheatgrass is an interesting item. Folks really believe that it has properties that are far beyond what the claims could possibly provide. There's no science to back up such claims unfortunately. I have repeatedly tried to find the nutritional content and what information is available is deemed unreliable by most sources (mostly because it is not considered a food source).
It doesn't appear to be harmful - but then again there's no research to show that it might be good for you, either.
Sweet pea green juice has even less information.
As such it's hard to give you a good solid evidenced based recommendation on these. As a foodie and one who loves flavor I don't find them palatable and they are certainly an acquired taste.
Carrots do have a medium amount of Vitamin K and this could be an issue if she is not consistent. Two medium carrots come in at a pretty reasonable 16 micrograms (mcg). Adding that to the celery, which also is a bit higher at 12 mcg per stalk, and the juice comes in at 40 mcg. That's about half the RDA.
One key is consistency, however, and having the juice each and every day makes this safer, but check with her physician to make sure that her INR is monitored.
Other info can be found in the book The Dr. Gourmet Diet for Coumadin Users. Here's the link: http://www.drgourmet.com/warfarin/book.shtml
Thanks for writing,
Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet
Read More Ask Dr. Gourmet Questions
Will apple cider vinegar help
my acid reflux while I am on Coumadin (warfarin)?
Is it okay to cook with garlic while
on Coumadin (warfarin)?
Are juicers a good idea
for those on Coumadin (warfarin)?
Is my husband's Coumadin dosage stable because
he eats a big salad every day?
Are freeze dried acai berries
and changa mushroom powder OK with Coumadin?
Are Aronia berries (chokeberries)
safe with Coumadin?
Thanks for your lists of foods containing
Vitamin K!
Can you eat green pickled
tomatoes if you are on Coumadin (warfarin)?
Does eating garlic counteract
eating high amounts of Vitamin K?
Will non-alcoholic beer affect
your Coumadin dose?
Is Lean Cuisine Coumadin
safe?
Does grapefruit really interact
with medications? (See also....)
Are almonds a good snack
for those on Coumadin?
Is regular tea, iced or hot,
contraindicated while taking Coumadin?
How Much Vitamin K is in....?
There's an easy way to find out about the nutrition content of any food. Just use The Dr. Gourmet Diet Plan Software.
Just register to use the software, then click the Recipe Box tab. The ingredient database includes over 7,000 ingredients and will show you the nutritional information for those ingredients - including Vitamin K. Use the Food Diary section to help you track your daily Vitamin K intake along with calories and other nutrients. Try it now!